A PRIMARY school that is the subject of a proposed closure could be forced to join an academy chain after receiving an Inadequate Ofsted.

Queensway Primary School, in Coppice Wood Avenue, Yeadon, is currently in the eye of a storm surrounding its future.

Leeds City Council has put forward a proposal to shut the school at the end of the academy year, in July 2023, due to falling numbers.

A letter sent to parents and carers outlined there had been a “large fall” in the request for places in the school’s reception class and these are expected to decline further.

The local authority made it clear a decision has not been made and a consultation opened on September 26 for people to share their views, closing at 4pm on Sunday, October 23.

Parents and children made their feelings clear on the first day by protesting outside the school with banners and t-shirts which said “save our school”.

The school itself opposes the proposal but it has been dealt a fresh blow, after Ofsted rated the school Inadequate – the lowest mark – in its latest inspection, having previously been Good.

Inspectors visited Queensway on June 28 and 29, during the last academic year.

They rated behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision and leadership and management as Requires Improvement, while the quality of education was deemed to be Inadequate.

This has forced the Government to take action, with the Department for Education issuing the school an academy order.

It means Queensway may be required to join a multi-academy trust in the future, if it remains open.

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “The council and Queensway Primary School are working closely together on a plan of improvements following the school’s recent Ofsted inspection.

“The school had already begun a journey of improvement over the last year under new leadership and this recent improvement was acknowledged in the report.”

Queensway has had several changes in leadership arrangement since 2017 and the new senior team was appointed in September 2021.

They have begun to provide “much-needed stability” and started to “bring the school community back together”.

But inspectors found the school’s curriculum is not well thought out and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not well managed, often having erratic experiences.

The school has brought in a new approach for teaching reading, which focuses on phonics, but there is a variation in the delivery of the sessions and those who need additional support to read do not receive suitable help.

The report states: “As a result, too many pupils cannot read at an age-appropriate level.

“The quality of their written work is also below the standard expected of them.”

The Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “There are many considerations for the school and its community at this time and we are committed to working with the school to drive forward improvements.

“It is important to stress that the current consultation on the proposed closure of the school will in no way affect the support available to the school.”